Scorpions, Panthers softball teams roll in district doubleheaders
FARMINGTON — The Farmington and Piedra Vista softball teams continued their success during the district season as the final weeks of the regular season approach with dominant doubleheader performances.
Meantime, Farmington baseball earned a pair of hard-fought district wins over Eldorado while Piedra Vista snapped a two-game losing streak with a pair of runaway victories at home against West Mesa.
Here's a look at the softball and baseball action around the county.
Softball
FARMINGTON 14, Eldorado 0 (5 innings)
FARMINGTON 13, Eldorado 1 (4 innings)
Taryn Maness and Rikki Wilkie had banner performances Saturday afternoon in the opening game of a twin bill against Farmington, combining for eight runs batted in during a 14-0 blowout over Eldorado at Ricketts Park.
Maness hit a three-run blast over the centerfield wall in the bottom half of the third inning, blowing open a game that the Scorpions led 1-0 at that point.
Farmington scored six runs in the third inning, then turned around and scored seven more times to earn the run-rule victory.
Wilkie also had an impressive performance in the circle, striking out 13 batters and allowing only one hit and one walk in a complete game victory.
The result of the second half of the doubleheader was much the same, as the Scorpions scored nine runs in the fourth inning on their way to a 13-1 win over the Golden Eagles.
Allyson Herrod drove in three runs and also hit a home run while going 2-for-3 at the plate.
Meantime, pitcher Marianne Lee struck out four and allowed only one run on five hits to earn the victory.
Eldorado did themselves no favors in the field, committing five errors in the opener and seven more in the nightcap.
Farmington's sweep improves their record on the season to 16-5 overall as they extend their win streak to five in a row. Ranked seventh in Class 5A, the Scorpions are 6-0 in District 2-5A and will be back in action on Saturday when they visit 10th ranked La Cueva.
PIEDRA VISTA 12, West Mesa 0 (6 innings)
PIEDRA VISTA 10, West Mesa 0 (6 innings)
Lanae Billy and Liberty Sheek each hit a home run and drove in a collective eight runs as Piedra Vista rolled to a 12-0 win over West Mesa in the opening game of a doubleheader Saturday at the Farmington Sports Complex.
Billy drove in six runs while also hitting a pair of doubles in a 3-for-4 effort at the plate, while Sheek went 1-for-3 on the afternoon. The Panthers scored all their runs in the third through sixth innings, breaking open a scoreless tie with four runs in the bottom of the third, followed by four more runs in the fifth on their way to the blowout win.
Pitcher Akaysia Grogan struck out 13 batters and allowed only hit over six innings to pick up the win.
In the nightcap, it was Madi Van Riper who did the majority of the damage as she homered for the Panthers as they dominated the Mustangs by a final of 10-0.
Van Riper, Adreanna Eaton and Tatianna Guerrero each drove in a pair of runs while pitcher Emma Lovato controlled the action from the circle, striking out 13 batters and allowing only three hits for the win.
Piedra Vista improves to 14-8 overall (4-2 District 2-5A) and will be back in action on Saturday at home to face Sandia.
Baseball
FARMINGTON 2, Eldorado 0
FARMINGTON 6, Eldorado 5 (8 innings)
The Farmington High School baseball team came away with a couple of hard-fought district wins Saturday afternoon at Ricketts Park, sweeping Eldorado in a doubleheader and extending their win streak to four games in a row.
The Scorpions fought their way to a 2-0 win in the opener over the Golden Eagles, breaking open a scoreless tie with a pair of runs in the home half of the sixth inning.
Farmington won the finale of the doubleheader when Hunter Martin scored on a bases-loaded walk issued by Keith Alvarado in the bottom of the eighth inning, taking the victory by a score of 6-5.
The Scorpions had a 4-1 after two innings, but Eldorado clawed back and tied the game in the top of the fifth inning, thanks to Tanner Fairhurst, who went 3-for-5 at the plate and scored a pair of runs, as well as Alesandro Morrison, who also scored a run while going 2-for-4 at the plate.
The teams exchanged runs in the sixth inning and had chances to win the game in the seventh before going into extra innings.
Pitcher Zak Aragon performed well in the pressure situation, going the final three innings and allowing only one run on two hits. His scoreless frame in the top of the eighth set up the Scorpions opportunity to win the game in the bottom of the eighth.
Morrison started the frame allowing Kioni Benally to reach first due to a throwing error on a groundball to second baseman Cy Atkins. Martin was issued a walk in the next plate appearance before Benally was picked off second base.
Morrison was replaced on the mound by Alvarado, who promptly walked Zach Raichel and gave up a sacrifice but to Zeke Kalcich, which moved Martin and Raichel into scoring position.
With two out and runners on second and third, the Golden Eagles gambled a bit, intentionally walking Ayden Wiese to load the bases with Keagan Scott coming to the plate. Scott drew the walk on five pitches, allowing Martin to score from third to earn the win.
The sweep improves Farmington's record this season to 17-3 overall (5-1 District 2-5A). Ranked fifth in Class 5A according to MaxPreps, the Scorpions will be in action on Tuesday to face Rio Grande in a non-district showdown that was postponed earlier this season.
PIEDRA VISTA 8, West Mesa 4
PIEDRA VISTA 10, West Mesa 0 (6 innings)
The Piedra Vista High School baseball team got a big performance at the plate from designated hitter Alijah Aranda, who drove in three runs and went 3-for-3 at the plate as the Panthers doubled up on West Mesa 8-4 Saturday evening in the first game of a doubleheader at Ricketts Park.
Trailing 4-1 heading into the home half of the third inning, Aranda got the Panthers going with an RBI single as part of a three-run frame that knotted the game heading into the fourth inning.
The Panthers pulled away from there, scoring four unanswered runs while pitcher Parker Smartt settled in nicely on the mound, pitching a complete game and allowing four runs on four hits and striking out seven.
Kaden Peace also drove in a pair of runs for the Panthers.
In the second game, Piedra Vista sent 10 batters to the plate in a six-run second inning which propelled the Panthers to a runaway 10-0 victory over the Mustangs.
Dax Vigil drove in a pair of runs while pitcher Jacob Kuhn limited West Mesa to just three hits and one walk in five innings, striking out six.
Josh Wulfert, Kendrick Aragon, Keenan Bejar, Kelton Mitchell and Jacob Ramsted also drove in runs in the victory, which improved their overall record on the season to 13-9 (4-2 in District 2-5A).
The Panthers will be back in action at home on Saturday to face Sandia.
Steve Bortstein can be reached via email at SBortstein@Gannett.com, via Twitter @DTSBortstein or on the phone at (505) 635-2680. Support local journalism with a digital subscription.